Sweet smell of lottery success for Naklua flower vendor

Everything came up roses for a Naklua flower vendor when she won 12 million baht in Thailand’s government lottery.

Nanthida “Nooch” Khampamool, 33, had bought three tickets bearing the number of her pickup truck license plate before the July 1 lottery. When the lucky numbers were announced, the owner of the Nooch Pothisan Shop in the Pothisan Market discovered she’d be driving that truck all the way to the bank.

Flower vendor Nanthida “Nooch” Khampamool just won 12 million baht in the government lottery.

Sister Pangdee Makaew, 55 - who was working in the shop with her father - said the sudden riches has forced her into seclusion, perhaps to avoid all the other new “relatives” that suddenly showed up on her doorstep.

Pangdee said she didn’t know how Nanthida planned to spend the cash.

This article was published in the Pattaya Mail newspaper on Friday July 11, 2014 (Vol. XXII No. 28).